The Great Infection - Ruin
by jmstarchild
Summary: When the Control Brains go too far, it's up to Dib to gather the forces and fight. Though fighting against Zim will be the toughest war he will face. Especially when Zim has his own hidden weapons. Part 2 of The Great Infection. Casual ZADR. Mutiple OCs.
1. Prologue

It was called The Great Ruin. The battle between the Empire and the Resisty shattered abruptly by two new threats; Irkens, controlled by the Control Brains themselves. Zim and Domino were infected with a new virus, combination of the one that wiped out half of Irke and the genetics of the hybrid twins. The virus made Red's vision of an advanced Irken complete, but they also became puppets. The Empire was completely under the Control Brains rule.

To be honest the Empire was already under the Control Brains rule, but the newly infected Control Brains weren't what they used to be. They were now after purity. Purity of the universe. Purity came though the virus, and those who rejected the virus were culled. Every Irken with a PAK who refused the new order were sent a rejection code in which the PAK rejected its host. Anyone who was not Irken were considered banishments, and those who entered Irken territory with such title were immediately marked for death.

The few Irkens who had escaped culling did so by a firewall installed into their PAK, which was only a temporary fix until they discovered the ability to disable the link to the control brains. It was a risky process, and it involved shutting down installed weaponry, but it was necessary in order to survive.

Outside the empire it was even worse, as the struggle to procure supplies or even food became harder, as the Empire's hold on the universe became stronger. Retriste became a rescue planet, turning to its passages underground to house refugees and Irkens who refused to become pure. The Resisty had re-located there as well, and after Lard-Nar and Dios's death the reigns were handed to the one person who had the guts to handle it.

Dib.

Despite the bonds. Despite the constant pain he could feel from his mate's end and his own. Despite the fact that his beloved was under someone else's control and he wanted nothing but to go save him. He had to stay. His reason was logic. Logic that forced him to stay put and take care of everyone. Logic that made him see reason, which under Their control Zim would kill him.

He missed Zim so much, and somewhere within that cloud of disaster that was the Control he knew Zim was still there. He could feel him. Zim could be turned back. There was a chance to reverse this.

If Runa was able to be revived back to her old memories and Red brought back to an ounce of sanity, then there was a chance.

However…

There was Avery.

Avery, having snapped and embraced the entire half of his Meekrob origins, broke through Gaz's bindings. He was after blood, he wanted the blood of Red and the entire Empire. However, it was all brought down when he was captured by Domino, under the Control. Only Gaz knows he is still alive, still trying to fight. Wherever she is. When they escaped she had vanished, no words or even a hug goodbye. Though, no matter where his sister was, he knew she was alright. She was a threat to anyone who crossed her path, someone who could survive on her own without any help.

She had honestly began to care about Avery, and to have him ripped from her was almost heart-wrenching to witness. Dib knew his sister well, and to see her angry was like seeing a storm that was slowly brewing. In the back of his mind he knew his sister was preparing herself, mentally and spiritually. Dib wished he was as strong as Gaz. He had all these people under his wing now. He had people willing to go into war, to fight with all they had.

He couldn't afford a fight right now though. They needed to plan, they all had someone on the line and they all needed that time to gather the necessities to properly fight back.

Time was their biggest adversary. The Massive was back in play, and with it came the Irken Military.

Who knows how long it would take until their war would begin.


	2. Chapter 1

_There was once a man named Richard Bloodstone, who had a best friend named Zachariah Genesis. They were college friends, and when Zachariah wanted to build a science empire he enlisted his friend Richard to be his partner. It took a lot of work, but soon their hard work succeeded and they created a greatly well-known biogenetics empire; GeniStone Industries._

_Within GeniStone industries, Richard met a woman scientist named Willow Radcliffe. The two grew close and soon fell in love. However, when Willow married Richard, Zachariah became jealous. Jealous to the point that he became withdrawn and shut himself in his office for hours at a time. _

_Soon, Willow and Richard wanted to have children, but try as they might they couldn't conceive a child. It was then they had the idea to take their own genetics and use Willow's womb to grow a clone of themselves. However, the embryo split, and they were blessed with twins! Clones of each parent, one like the other. After further tests they discovered that the children were more advanced than normal humans, and were overjoyed at the possibilities that their children could accomplish. _

_When Zachariah caught word of what they were doing he had an idea. Once the twins were born he threatened to sue the couple, claiming that they were used with his tools and thus they were his. Zachariah's jealousy warped his mind, seeing Richard not as a friend anymore but as a rival. He saw these children as a breakthrough in science instead of human beings. When the parents refused to give up their children he did the worst thing one could do. _

_Months after the children were born, Richard and Willow were mysteriously killed. _

_Zachariah was declared their guardian, and he began to use the twins as experiments, wondering what he could make out of them. By that time Zachariah had lost his sanity, and decided that he would use them for his own plans. He wished to take over the world, using two genetically advanced children at his side. It was purity of the race he had wanted. Those who weren't up to his standards would be destroyed. Survival of the Fittest! The powerful shall rule the Earth!_

_For years the twins were submitted to various tests and experiments. Runa trained to kill and destroy physically, while Avery was taught to expand his mental capabilities. However, when Runa decided that she didn't want to kill anymore, Avery was threatened to do what she couldn't at the risk of losing his sister. Avery grew up knowing how to kill people with his mind, while Runa grew up isolated and mistreated by Zachariah for forming a conscience._

_It wasn't long until Avery had enough of the tests and the killing, the mistreatment of his sister and most of all, his guardian. It was unknown how Zachariah Genesis died, but the coroners say his heart exploded from the inside._

_His body was the only one found in the charred remains of the laboratory. Any other person who was caught in the fire were fated to be ash._

* * *

_"It's not over Avery."_

The voice startled Avery of his nightmare, and he felt ill. He loathed the memories, the flashbacks. Especially the voice. _His_ voice. Avery's eyes were aglow with anger at his dream, wishing he could have done more than strangle the man's heart.

"Awake already." A voice broke him from his brooding, and Avery's attention diverged to the Irken sitting before him. Zim… He relaxed at the sight of him, but it didn't last long when he felt something was wrong. Upon trying to move he realized he had been restrained, and upon trying to use his telekinesis he was met with a horrible migraine. "Zim!" He hissed, staring at the Irken. Something was off, his normal red eyes…they had a toxic outline to it. "What is going on?"

Zim sneered delightfully at the sight of his captive's eyes. Ever since the Acceptance, Avery was showing signs of his true origins. The rage that made his eyes glow enthralled Zim, and he couldn't help not to lay his claws on the hybrid. "My, my, Avery, I thought you would be happy to see Zim."

"Not when there's something obviously wrong. I'm tied up and you're under someone's control." He could see it plain as day. "Are you so weak you let yourself be controlled like some puppet?"

Zim only grinned, "Our control would never work on normal Irkens. Zim is an exceptional defective. Finally after years of being shunned and treated like a piece of trash, Zim is getting what We deserve. We are in charge."

The cryptic third person made Avery's head spin. "We?"

"Zim has the power of the Control Brains." The Irken simply replied, still with a manic grin. "We have plans for this universe. There has been too much impurities created and We must clean up." He moved his hands to cup Avery's chin and licked his cheek. "Won't you join Us in Our task?"

"Just kill me already." Avery hissed, having long ago given up on trying to release himself from the binds. They were made of material that withstood his own abilities. The collar around his neck also made it so that he was powerless. "You obviously know I'm never going to conform to this twisted new idea so why are you keeping me here?"

Zim purred and leaned in to lick the shell of his ear. "We need you, hybrid. Your power will assist Us in Our goals. Once We capture your sibling, Our goals will be oh-so much more reachable."

Goals. Avery shuddered in disgust at the Irken's touches and felt a dreaded feeling in the pit of his stomach. The Control Brains were after the same thing _He_ wanted. Power. Godlike power over everything and _He_ wanted to use Avery and his sister to get it. This Purity Quest was only an advanced version of what he had already lived though as a child. It was like…

Avery's eyes were wide when Zim caught his lips into a possessive and deeply passionate kiss, and when Zim broke it he grinned twistedly at him, "We learned about Your creator from the sibling. When Former Tallest Red presented her to us We caught sight of her real memories. We liked what We saw, and We think that this human Zachariah's vision must be carried out." Zim's altered eyes pulsated in delight when he saw the look of horror on Avery's face and he caught his lips again, pushing against the man's body and pinning him under his own.

Avery began to actively struggle now, his breathing becoming heavier as the room began to spin. He was having a panic attack and the possessed Irken before him began to laugh before crushing his lips into Avery's and holding him still. A mechanical arm extended out of the Irken's PAK, holding a syringe, and swiftly he stabbed it into Avery's shoulder, causing the man to cry out in pain.

_"You will help Us, my little hybrid. Your maker's vision will become yours and We will make sure you will obey Our every command."_

Avery felt hot, losing consciousness as the other Irken possessed his mind and body, his vision became weaker and the glow from his eyes dimmed out. The last thing he saw was the tainted eyes of Zim, and he wondered if the real one was still in there.

* * *

Pregnant.

No. It couldn't be true. It shouldn't be true. There was no possible way…

So what was she going through then? Sick every moment between weird cravings for food she had never seen in her life, most of all the lump in her belly that even a child could point out.

Runa was pregnant and she hated it.

She didn't want it.

She had no need for it.

The worst part of it… the child was _Red's_.

The Irken that she hated more than anyone. The Irken who altered her state of mind and took advantage of her. The Irken that she refused to look at or talk to.

Her doctor, Dios's brother Adon, stayed silent as she went over this news. He confirmed it for Runa when she came to him. As Retriste's only doctor, she didn't know who else to turn to. Thankfully the other held his own code of conduct, and no one would know. Even if the Irken was a mute.

His brother Khan was at his side. She remembered his name. He was the very Irken who set the virus loose. From what she heard, the little Irken was a genius. Meant to be a doctor, he couldn't stand the sight of blood, so the Tallests gave him a job as a scientist instead. It proved to be a good move, as Khan became one of their most trusted scientists… until the Resisty needed him, of course.

Because of his position now, he held a job speaking for his brother.

"From what you have told us, terminating the pregnancy cannot be possible." Khan held a sympathetic frown as he studied the scans of her belly. "Irken smeets in their larvae stage gestate differently than human ones, and if you attempted something as an 'abortion' as you call it, the Irken larvae will kill you before it can be killed."

Runa felt practically devastated at the thought and felt her belly. So Irkens were a 'kill or be killed' species. Warriors from birth… It sounded amusing, and she couldn't help but laugh at the thought before crying miserably. Khan dropped the scans when she did and nervously ran over to take her hand in his, trying to comfort her.

Adon moved to pick up the scans, silently placing them on the table and moving to retrieve his brother, urging him away from Runa and shaking his head when Khan stared up at him curiously.

"We still have to tell her about—" Khan stopped suddenly when Adon held a hand up. 'It can wait', he meant. Both of them walked out of the room, Khan looking dejected and worried. Both of them made their way to the front room, where Dib was waiting. As the only other human on the planet, he was able to point Runa out to her problem.

By the sound of the crying in the back room, he guessed that it wasn't good.

Khan bit his lip a little and thought about how to explain to Dib about Irken pregnancies, as it was something that rarely happened to Irkens ever since they decided to create them in a more sterile manner. That was thousands upon thousands of years ago.

"I…if this were a normal case of Irken pregnancy and if you were the father I'd tell you to keep yourself a good distance from your mate." Khan began, wringing his hands. "Female Irkens tend to get aggressive and violent during pregnancy… though, Miss Runa is a hybrid Meekrob-Human…"

A crash was heard from the back room,

"I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!"

"But I think the Irken smeet might change that!" Khan said in a panic, his eyes wide at the interruption. "I suggest to keep her isolated, and not let her near Talles—er—um—Red." Once Red's name was uttered Khan took on a worried look, mumbling something incoherent and turning away.

"That won't be a problem, we have him detained still." Dib stood up, grinning awkwardly. "He's still quite unstable, Crux is looking after him."

Adon nodded, letting Khan leave in a hurry and sighing.

Dib winced at the sound of another crash and cringed. "Alright… I'll set up a room for her at the Kasbah and get rid of the sharp objects."

Adon again nodded, glancing back to the door Runa was behind and cracking his knuckles, heading inside to quell the enraged pregnant woman.

* * *

"The virus has taken hold?" Domino asked with an amused smirk, watching his co-tallest work on the hybrid male.

"The serum hasn't been rejected, if that's what you mean." The lab coat clad Tallest grinned as he felt the hybrid's skin. "Once he wakes up We will check his loyalty to Zim." He set down the clip-board in his hands and watched the scientists tend to everything else.

Domino's tainted purple eyes trailed along the body of the hybrid and he grimaced, not really finding what Zim enjoyed about touching such a thing. Though whatever Zim wanted to do outside of the Quest wasn't of his concern. He was more interested in capturing the refugee Tallest and putting an end to his life. Retriste was just on the edge of the Empire, and it wouldn't be long until he had Red's head on a stick and the Resisty in their own little execution chambers.

* * *

The refugee Tallest was currently holed up in a padded room, one that smelled of stale sex unsuccessfully covered by a layer of perfume. He had been there ever since the escape from Irke, and slowly his sanity was coming back as be began to accept Purple's death.

Outside of the room was Crux, the scarred Irken leaning on a stool and balancing himself against the wall. He whistled casually while he sharpened his claws, grinning when he was able to carve another symbol into the wall. "It's been four hours, eh? Yeh ready fer some food or are yeh too high and mighty fer our crap?" He set himself down and opened the curtain to the doorway, poking his head in and sticking his tongue out.

Red was in the corner, on the mattress that he was given with a blanket wrapped around his body. Gone was his Tallest armor and in their place were robes that Domino had owned. The Irken wasn't currently there to use them so why not? Red felt naked without his own armor, and the lack of gauntlets made him feel defenseless. Having to get his PAK worked on was the worst of it all though, and if he couldn't get any more pitiful then he wondered what else could happen to him.

"I'm going to KILL YOU!" A scream was heard from the floor below, "RED! SHOW YOURSELF!"

"Sounds like the girlie's back." Crux grinned from the doorway, moving to the railings and crouching down to watch.

Runa was thankfully being held by one of Domino's own. Zetiya, a talented Vortian that was more lethal than she looked. "Easy honey, we're not going to kill anyone. Let's get you to your room."

Crux waved out at Dib as the human made his way to the stairs. Zetiya was practically dragging Runa to an elevator that led right up to Domino's personal room.

Runa was almost compliant, almost. Her rage was becoming subdued until a flash of red eyes caught her attention. She practically threw Zetiya back and broke out into a run.

"How is he holding up?" Dib asked as he made his way over to Crux.

Before Crux could answer Red emerged from the curtained room, looking for the voice that threatened his life. Somewhere in that broken mind of his, he still cared about 'Rua', as he thought of her. "Rua, my Rua?"

Dib and Crux heard Zetiya's scream and Crux bodily shoved Red back into the room before joining Dib in holding Runa back before she was able to reach the top of the stairs. "Runa I told you, you can't kill him!" Dib cried out, yelping when she tried to push past them. Thankfully Crux was her match in skill, and he didn't have any trouble in holding her back.

"Rua…" Red's voice made Dib scowl, glancing back to see Red emerge from the room again. "Red, get back in the room!" He shouted.

Runa was hissing, her eyes pulsating a glow that everyone took notice of weeks ago in one of her mood-swings. "I will kill you…then I will bring you back, and then I will kill you again!" She growled out. Crux couldn't help but laugh, "I like yeh girlie, but teh boss has his rules. Otherwise I'd join yeh."

"Rua why are you so angry?" Red moved closer to the three, but Dib had to get in between them when Runa lashed out with an enraged wail.

"MY NAME IS RUNA!" She hissed out, "RU-NA. YOU GOT ME PREGNANT YOU BASTARD!"

Red looked stunned at the statement and tried to reach out to her, looking quite overjoyed. "Pregnant…you're with smeet! Rua this is our dream!"

When she heard that she lunged herself past Crux and grabbed for Red's arm, Dib was on her quickly and soon Zetiya was behind her, helping Crux grapple the girl and drag her down the stairs, holding onto the woman as if she was a rabid beast.

Dib took the moment to push Red back into the curtained room, sighing in frustration and glaring at him. "Red, how many times do we have to go through this?"

Red looked almost like a whimpering smeet, grabbing the sheet he dropped and covering himself again, his antennae flat against his head in dejection. "Rua loved me…"

"Her name is Runa, Red." He frowned, standing at the door. "You're still sick. You need to get back to reality soon!" Dib felt frustrated and angry, but he tried to calm down. Red wasn't the only problem he had to deal with. There was Runa and Khan and Gaz to think about…hell, even Avery. Avery and Zim… he felt so damn lost at that moment that he sat down in front of the doorway and held his chin in thought. "Everything is a mess, how am I going to do this? Every day I have people coming into this planet and asking for vacancy. We're running out of everything." He looked at Red, hoping the former Tallest would be sane enough to understand. "I can't be leader of so many people, I can't win a battle that my lover is threatening to create. Zim is my—Avery." Dib looked off into nothing. "Avery would know what to do…He would have."

Outside the curtained doorway Crux stood there, his arms folded and watching the shadow of his new boss. He thought about it for a moment, and then threw all thought into the wind. Without warning he reached between the curtains and grabbed onto Dib's collar, dragging the screaming boy though and tossing him down. "Yeh want ta quit? Jus say it." The Irken threatened, "Yeh have too much ta think about but yeh forget, it's mah boss in there too! Teh owner of this place an this whole planet! Domino was jus like yeh, starting wit nothin an a goal." Crux straddled Dib's hips when the other tried to stand, forcing him back down and bending over to growl in his face, "Yeh want them back, either suck it up or give teh reigns to me. Don't sign up fer somethin yeh can't handle!" He emphasized his point with a flick to Dib's forehead before getting up, standing over him and waiting.

Dib stayed where he lay, staring up at Crux and letting everything sink in. He did volunteer to lead. It was in the heat of everything, Lard-Nar and Dios were gone and everyone was in a panic. He was the only one with the head on his shoulders to speak up. He did it because he wanted Zim back. He wanted Gaz and Avery back.

After a while it hit him that being a leader of the Resisty was more than he thought it was. It required a man with a backbone and with no qualms in deciding the fate of thousands. Domino had that. Domino was a man that knew everything he did and didn't regret a single thing. In the limited time that he knew the Taller Irken, he was immediately affected by the man's power. Dib didn't have any of that. He had no power or influence, he had everything to lose and nothing to gain. He had a conscience that made him triple guess everything he decided. Most of all he had too many worries…

"Crux." Dib stood up then, tired of thinking. He needed to do something, he needed to decide. Was he going to back down or was he going to take responsibility?

"Can you train me to fight?" That was the first thing he needed, he needed to learn how to defend himself.

* * *

Everything was dark. Dark and painful. Avery felt alone and helpless, desperate to feel something – _anything_.

_"You must wake up, Avery. You have work to do."_

When he thought nothing would save him, Avery felt a touch that caressed him like a lover. It blanketed over his body before entering him, making Avery gasp.

_"Avery… Avery, wake up, your Tallest wishes to see you…"_

Hazel eyes opened slowly, the voice luring him to consciousness.

_"That's a good boy, Avery. Your obedience will be rewarded."_

The Touch was inside of him now, possessing his body, entwining itself to every part of him. He let it embrace him loosely, the strands of the Touch wrapping around him mentally and physically.

"My Tallest…" Avery's voice was dazed and weak, his body submitting to the injection that Zim had worked on just for him. The more Avery's eyes came into focus the sharper he could see Zim; standing over his body, claws folded as he watched.

"Zim is your master, yes?" He asked quizzically, trailing a claw to trail down the strands that The Touch was creating along Avery's body. Avery could manage a nod, feeling flushed and dizzy. "Avery belongs to Zim?" The question was different, but still the same.

"Yes..." Avery shuddered, The Touch interweaving every inch of his consciousness. It felt like an urge, a beckon. It wanted Avery to embrace it, to become one with it.

A sharp hiss escaped his lips and Avery's body arched. The grin on Zim's face widened as he removed the laser gun, staring appreciatively at the Irken Symbol freshly etched against Avery's skin.

"You are Irken property, understand?" He pressed his claw against the brand, causing Avery to yelp out in pain. "Y-yes My Tallest!"

"Good. We have plans for you." Zim moved away from Avery and left the other alone, The Touch taking its final hold and altering Avery's consciousness.

His eyes flickered a toxic purple before they closed again. The Touch was now visible throughout his body in the form of dark vines that encircled his skin.

He had accepted the virus.

[[AN: The Virus, or The Control as I'm gonna call it, makes one loyal to the Control Brains/Tallests without any free will thinking. Now the Irkens were already a hivemind to begin with, though they had the free will in doing whatever they pleased. Although… the Virus also has a side effect. Whatever one was obsessed with before accepting The Control will be emphasized once they have the virus inside of them. For instance, Domino HATES Red, and for reasons that will come up later, wants him dead. Zim, after altering his height, unleashed his hormonal gene and has become obsessed with sex. He's now a purely sexual being, though with that obsession comes with the one for his mate and Runa. It all cumulates to a desire to possess as many as he can, physically and mentally. I wonder how Avery will be affected…]]


End file.
